f o o d i e t a s t i c !

[FOODIE: cheap eats] The Brave Bull's House of Steaks

2010-06-26T08:34:00.000-07:00

Definitely a no frills, no fanfare place for the residents (who live around the area) AND foodies. Everyone else can just take their steak snob attitude elsewhere.

THE BRAVE BULL'S HOUSE OF STEAK

1294 Hastings Street East

Vancouver, BC V6A 1S6

Telephone: 604.253.4278
Hours: Lunch - Mon-Sun (5pm-onwards)

SNAPSHOT:

Food: 6/10

Service: 10/10

Ambiance: 5/10
Pricing: $

Pros: Unpretentious restaurant with at home service.

Cons: It's still 1995 in here.

Overall Rating: 6/10

This is a two-person operation run by a husband and wife. The wife does the front-end operation from greeting and seating guests, taking orders, and bringing the bill. While the husband is at the kitchen firing up the grill with his full chef uniform. If there's one thing they like doing everyday, it's definitely keeping this joint open and running.

There are photocopies of an article written about the restaurant hung all over the place which you're bound to read wherever you sit. It highlights the cheap price for a decent steak. The article was written back in 1995. Looking around the place and checking out the menu, will make you believe you're stuck in time. The decor hasn't changed. More importantly, the prices haven't changed as well.

Fifteen freakin' years since the article was written and this restaurant doesn't have inflation in it's vocabulary. Someone please (please!) make them our finance minister.

Don't come here expecting swift service. These guys are way past their retirement age and will walk a turtle's space if they have to get things done right. They could have collected their retirement benefits years ago, but decided to do what they do best in feeding the locals with cheap steak.

I was excited to see Rib Steak on the menu, but wasn't available. I settled for a T-Bone and they happily left a good portion of fat on the steak just to feed my yearning for marbled goodness. How does it taste? Don't go looking for corn-fed or Cows massaged everyday. All I can say is it's decent for the price. You get a good portion of meat and it comes with a soup or salad, veggies and baked potato with sour cream and faux bacon bits. Classic blast to the past indeed.

Not up for steak? They serve Chinese food, too. I bet you the 1995 article didn't see that coming. I tried that as well.

When we got our bill, she took the time to explain what we were charged despite having only two items on it - a steak meal and a Chinese combo meal. And when she gave our change back, she painstakenly took the time to count our loose change as well. Then she realised she short-changed us. She left and scrambled behind the cash register. We were going to leave all the loose change anyway. It can't be that bad. She came back with 10 more cents. 10 cents! How honest is that.

I'd come back just to keep this place alive. How can you not have a soft spot for these hard-working proprietors. To come back wouldn't be about the food or the price anymore, it would be just to keep the place alive.

[FOODIE: dine out vancouver 2010] WEST

2010-05-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

What better way to make use of the Dine Out Vancouver event than to patronize restaurants that offer a level of pricing that's unheard of from their a la carte selection or even their "regular" prix fixe menu.

One such restaurant that participated this year is WEST. Not surprisingly, this restaurant was fully booked the moment they started accepting Dine Out Vancouver reservations.

WEST RESTAURANT

2881 Granville St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3J4

Telephone: 604.738.8938
Hours: Lunch - Mon-Sat (11.30am-2.30pm); Dinner - Mon-Sun (5pm-11pm)

SNAPSHOT:

Food: 8/10

Service: 10/10

Ambiance: 9/10
Pricing: $$$$ (expect to spend a minimum of $100 per head)

Pros: Unpretentious and attentive service that you've come to expect from a restaurant of this calibre; Perfectly cooked ingredients; Good ambiance.

Cons: You can feel the age of the restaurant especially with the out-dated bathroom.

Overall Rating: 9/10

West Restaurant does not advertise their Dine Out Vancouver menu anywhere. You're going to have to take a gamble finding out that day which among their regular selection has been included. If you've come to love the taste and quality of West but knowing you'll be paying a lower price, then it's a no-brainer at this point.

Classic restaurants like these will provide bread service at your table. This will be hard to eliminate especially for old-school patrons. For one it does give an impression of an upscale restaurant. But there are pros and cons to this because it's not really free. It was simply factored into the cost of the menu items. Which equate to unnecessary padding.

In this case, we have a serving of french baguettes, olive oil and butter.

The soup they were offering was Sweet Onion soup with olive oil and fried shallots.

Another starter of choice is the Smoked Salmon sushi in Tempura batter.

For the main course, we had the Hecate Straight Ling Cod which came with caramelized onion puree and mild Madras curry sauce.

Another main course was the braised lamb shank with red wine au jous. It was definitely tender and made me want the bone marrow portion.

How can you resist not ordering some Truffle french fries even if it's not part of their DOV menu. This is one of the few restaurants that know how to perfectly cook their fries - double fried. It came infused with truffle oil to start with.

And then arrived with a side of Truffle mayo and in-house made catsup. Yes, in-house. Yes, delicious. How can you come back to having Heinz catsup after tasting something this fresh?

Ah...dessert. Chocolate mouse on a bed of creme anglaise and Chocolate Pot de Creme.

Or how about some Coconut Genoise (sponge cake) and a drizzle of caramel for some fancy plating.

West was an overall good experience. It was an even better experience with the DOV pricing.

[EVENT: Vancouver] DINE OUT VANCOUVER 2010

2010-05-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

Don't forget that Dine Out Vancouver 2010 is still in effect and there are a lot of restaurants that have available reservations especially since people usually make multiple reservations and choose the best date that works for them or simply come back.

The event this year runs from April 26 - May 06. Depending on the restaurant, the prix fixe menu can go for $18, $28 or $38. As always, tax, gratuity and liquor is not included. More details can be found on the official site: Tourism Vancouver. From there you will be able to see the participating restaurants and the menu offering.

The site even offers an interactive "Dine Out Map" that you can click to view different cuisine categories after which restaurants will be mapped out on Google and you can decide from there if it's worth your while.

Although you can pay any which way you want that the restaurant accepts, Visa is sponsoring the event. Pay with your Visa and the restaurant will provide a ballot for you to fill out for a chance to win a $3,900.00 gift certificate to dine at participating restaurants. The "Visa Dine Out for a Year" contest details can be found on the same site.

[EVENT: insider peek] Cafe Nuba @ 146 East 3rd Ave

2010-04-24T09:02:00.000-07:00

Nuba has opened it's third branch in Vancouver over at Mount Pleasant just off Main Street. As of this moment, they are open for lunch but will expand to dinner service by April 29. Perhaps just in time when they obtain their liquor license.

In the meatime, they have generously lent a hand in providing Yelp Vancouver for it's April Yelp Elite Event by providing a sneak peak, a venue and good food and drinks. (Note: I did mention that they were in the process of obtaining a liquor license for their restaurant, but Yelp has obtained a temporary liquor license for this specific event which was prominently displayed.)

The theme of Nuba's third installation, as explained on their website, is Third World roadside cafes of the 1970's. With the muted colours and groovy interior, they will transport their patrons back in time.

The bar with it's funky wallpaper has their menu written on a chalkboard.

I feel like I'm in a movie set. They really put attention to detail in relieving the past.

Yelp members who recently earned their Elite status got a chance to take home the retro Yelp metal lunch boxes complete with a thermos inside. Fun times.

The specialty drink for the night was the "One Love" which was a concoction of organic ingredients including strawberries, raspberries, agave and Schramm's vodka. They also had beer on tap - Blue Buck - provided by local craft producer Phillips Beer.

Once the Yelpers started pouring in, the party started and the food seemed never ending.

In the meantime, we took a tour inside their massive kitchen. And like any respectable restaurant that cares and follows food safety, we all had to don aprons and hair nets before even stepping in the area. Once inside, time to wash our hands.

First stop was the grilling section where skewers for the night were being prepared.

In the other section, we were presented with large chunks of dough which volunteers were made to knead.

You had to use the whole weight of your body in order to tackle with these ones and have them flattened.

Once flat, these were inserted into a dough slicer.

The shape of the dough at this stage looked like a really thick Chicago-style pizza crust.

The slicer would cut the dough into more manageable pieces like these.

These pieces would then be rolled into a ball so it can be further flattened.

The flattening will be done by another machine after which the flattened pieces would then be baked.

Until it emerges into yummy pita bread - all fresh and all baked in-house.

How can you not resist grabbing one when it's right in front of you resting at the cooling rack.

Back to the front of the restaurant, the Yelp Elite members definitely came out in full force to show their love for Nuba.

Here were the grilled meats and shrimp drizzled with Tahini sauce.

Here is their appie version for the baba ghanooj - roasted eggplant puree on slices of pita bread.

We had slices of their "Veggie" pita - avocado, carrots, taboulleh and labneh (far side). While cucumber slices topped with tzatziki is another refreshing delight.

For dessert, they presented us with pita topped with fig jam, mint and feta cheese.

Oh, and they did serve their famous crispy cauliflower aka Najib's Special - cauliflower tossed in lemon and sea salt and topped with tahini. This dish went out so fast I didn't bother snapping a photo at this point.

Thanks to the Nuba team who prepared hard for this event and definitely gave more than 100% to make it memorable.

[FOODIE: seafood] COAST RESTAURANT

2010-04-18T09:38:00.000-07:00

I've always enjoyed the service tendered by the Glowbal Restaurant Group restaurants. Coast Restaurant is no exception.

COAST RESTAURANT
1054 Alberni St
Vancouver, BC V6E 1A3
Telephone: 604.685.5010
Hours: M-Th (11.30am-1am); Fri (11.30am-2am); Sat (4.30pm-2am); Sun (4.30pm-1am)

SNAPSHOT:
Food: 8/10
Service: 10/10

Ambiance: 9/10
Pricing: $$$$ (expect to fork out at least $50 per head)

Pros: Great quality of service that I've come to expect from the Glowbal Restaurant Group; Decent pricing; Good ambiance

Cons: Taste and cooking quality varies

Overall Rating: 9/10

Ever since Coast Restaurant relocated from Yaletown to the business district, it's been getting much attention and the influx of patrons (locals and celebrities) isn't losing steam anytime soon.

I always make it a point to go early and even off-hours when I go to a place. That way the restaurant staff can focus their attention on the few patrons and you get to leave as soon as the crowd has built up and the noise level elevated. This is especially true if a restaurant is getting much attention. I'm not there to people-watch. I'm there to enjoy the food.

Going early for dinner, we were able to get a nice location. In this case, we were the first patrons to be brought upstairs and have a nice table at the second floor overlooking the ground level where we get to see the unique circular bar incorporating the fresh seafood.

Once we placed our orders, more utensils are brought in to match the dish.

While waiting for our food to arrive, I was able to get a sneak at the open part of the kitchen where I was beginning to salivate what they were preparing which tempted me to want to order even more.

With no one else dining on the second floor, it also gave me the opportunity look around and appreciate the dark ambient lighting without annoying other patrons who may mistake that I'm staring at them or looking at what they're eating.

If you've been dining at other Glowbal Restaurants, you know you can amass a collection of free teasers and samplers before your real appie arrives. They gave us a taste of their flat bread. By the way, Coast Restaurant does not offer a serving of bread which you would normally associate in dining places like these. I don't mind because I prefer to have each dish represent it's most basic mark-up cost rather than pad it even more to shoulder the cost of a bread basket and butter. Which means if you want bread, you may as well order their flat bread which ranges from $14 - $17 depending if you feel like having prawns, salmon or lobster on it. If you think a whole order is too much for the amount especially with the amount of dishes you've already ordered, then that's where the tear-apart coupon comes in.

Bear with me with this soup photo. It isn't photogenic, but it does look and taste better than what you're seeing right now. I have limited lighting on hand. I'm sure we've all had New England (cream base) $8.00 and Manhattan (tomato base) $8.00 chowder versions. So if you want soup, I would suggest trying their "Coast signature item" instead which is the Smoked Local Fish chowder $9.00 and incorporates cold smoked fish ingredients as well as honey mussels and bacon. It's a good twist to a classic New England chowder favourite.

I'm a calamari lover. I'll order it at any restaurant when I see it on their menu especially when I dine at an Italian or Chinese restaurant. If you serve calamari and you announce it as your specialty then be prepared to ensure it tastes better and unique. Another "Coast signature item" is their Buttermilk Battered Calamari ($13.00) which comes with a smoked garlic aioli dip.

I was so excited for this dish that I was only set up for disappointment. The delicate buttermilk batter did nothing for me and was just falling apart. I needed something hefty to stand up to the calamari. While the "smoked" aioli really just tasted like mayonnaise. I didn't taste the garlic nor any smoky flavour. The most disappointing aspect was the rubbery calamari itself which happens when it's over-cooked. Someone in the kitchen doesn't know how to cook calamari. It has to be cooked for a very short time over high heat. Maybe since I was one of the early dinner patrons, the oil wasn't hot enough that rather than flash deep frying the calamari, they left it longer to make up for the low heat. I don't know. It's still no excuse for calamari of this quality and for a restaurant which announces the dish to be one of it's specialty.

Good thing one of the restaurant manager checked up on our table and I told him about the rubbery calamari. I told him it was still edible but disappointing in quality because it was supposed to be a signature item. Another restaurant manager was called in to which I explained I'm not making a big deal of it and told him the same thing that it was edible, but for a signature item it shouldn't have been rubbery, but that they didn't have to do anything or remove it from our bill since I will munch on it. He insisted to please us and removed the calamari from our bill. This is why I appreciate dining at any of the GRG restaurants. They have people that take care of the overall dining aspect.

They call it "steamers" on their menu, but I refer to it as Moule Frites since that's exactly how they serve it. We chose The Classic Mussels ($17.00) with a simple broth of Chardonnay, garlic, leeks and Italian parsley. I wanted to enjoy the taste of the mussels itself. This one did not disappoint. In fact it was everything I expected it to be.

Did you think I would forget to mention the "frites" portion? Never. I always have my french fries cooked well done for that excellent crispy texture to contrast against the soft, tender and juicy mussels. Do you see how well done my fries look? Yum!

I think they should offer an optional side of garlic baguettes so I can soak up the mussel broth like other restaurants are offering. Just saying.

Yes, it's too dark as the ambient light was changing. Can you guess? Sushi! In this case Eel & BBQ Salmon Roll $12.00. Another Coast signature dish and one that incorporated avocado and Sake BBQ sauce. Everything was soft and fresh down to the rice. I like how it was served on a slab of marble. Down to the presentation, it was indeed a classic fusion dish.

You think I'd skip dessert? No, sir. Here's their Warm Apple Turnover $8.00 with spiced apple cider and dolce de leche. Definitely a winner.

I enjoyed how it was presented on a small cast iron dish which kept it warm.

Oh, you thought I was done with dessert? How can you resist wanting to try out a Molten Banana Coconut Cake $8.00 that needed a ten-minute bake time? You get caramelized bananas and a side of coconut crème anglaise.

Make no mistake. This is a soufflé. To best enjoy, I break apart the soft centre and pour the warm sauce so the cake is sweet and moist. Together, this was pure dessert bliss.

I will be back.

[FOODIE: Filipino] Little Ongpin

2010-04-11T10:42:00.000-07:00

Ah...back to my roots. Something I had to succumb to after watching Anthony Bourdain's confess to his obsession for pork. I suddenly had to get my pork fat fixation.

Little Ongpin4093 No. 5 RoadRichmond, BC V6X 2T9
Telephone: 604.278.4667
Hours: Lunch and Dinner

SNAPSHOT:
Food: 8/10

Service: 10/10
Ambiance: 6/10
Pricing: $$ (average $15 per head)

Pros: Filipino comfort food; Decent selection, serving and taste.
Cons: No frills cafeteria-style dining typical of small Filipino restaurants

Overall Rating: 7/10

This is a Filipino-Chinese restaurant, that serves Filipino comfort food. By the way, Ongpin is a popular place in the Philippines which is similar to having a "Chinatown." This is where you can find good, cheap, and tasty food. Almost every city I've been to where Filipinos reside, there is sure to be a restaurant called "Little Ongpin."

If the menu itself is any indication, this is a no-frills dining in a cafeteria-style setting. I do love how there are lots of photos to help you identify and salivate over the food selections that they serve.

If you arrive early enough before the prime hours, you will have a decent selection of seats. Otherwise, most Filipinos will start flocking in by 7pm onwards and I heard there can be a line. So it's best to arrive early and have the full attention of the servers especially to answer your questions should you be unfamiliar with the food.

Our table had typical Asian condiments like soy sauce and fish sauce as well as salt and pepper. The moment you sit down, your server will hand you over a pitcher of iced water for your table. Yup, just like home.

First order of business is to have a big order of garlic fried rice. Garlic bits that are fried until dark brown...okay, burned!...but the flavour texture over white rice will just make you eat more. There are other fried rice selections, but this is the one I most gravitate towards.

Sisig, enough said. Kidding. These are fried pork cheeks served on a sizzling cast-iron plate. The pork cheeks are further seasoned typically with soy sauce and mayonnaise. There also is a small red chili and a slice of lemon to squeeze over the food similar to when you have Fried Calamari.

At home this is best eaten as a snack over ice cold beer. In fact before sipping our beer and while the plate is extremely hot, we pour over a good amount of the local beer to give a depth of flavour (think: beer-battered onion rings). The alcohol will burn out, but the profile is still evident.

This is what I do with the red chili. I squeeze to rapture the skin and pour over some good 'ol soy sauce. However, most people will find the dish salty enough. In this case, a good amount of rice per spoonful bites will neutralize the taste. Do season according to your liking.

To continue with my pork craving. How about some Lechon Kawali. This is pork belly that's been boiled until tender and then deep fried until the skin is blistered and crispy. This is cholesterol at it's best. Your heart won't thank you, that's for sure.

To complement the taste, you are served a side dipping sauce made by combining mainly pork liver, pepper, vinegar and brown sugar. Don't make that face. You're not a real foodie until you've tried this. It's best eaten with any crispy fried food. The most popular maker of this sauce is a brand called Mang Tomas. If there was an English branded counterpart it would be called Mister Thomas.

As a reward, don't leave without trying the Filipino version of an ice shaved dessert. This is called Halo-Halo - quite literally "to mix". That's because, just like a Taiwanese shaved ice, you have a bunch of Filipino native preserved fruits and desserts (coconut, jackfruit, palm, yam, custard, evaporated milk, and a scoop of ice cream) in a bowl of shaved course-textured ice. Definitely something to have on a very hot day as a snack or to sooth your tongue from the most often very tasty and sometimes salty food that's typical of Filipino cuisine.

Of all the Filipino restaurants I've tried in Metro Vancouver (and I'm not expert), this is the most I've enjoyed in terms of price, size, and service.

[FOODIE: crêperie] Crêpe Montagne @ Whistler

2010-04-11T09:28:00.000-07:00

This place has been getting great reviews over at Yelp. What a nice find. Perfectly tucked away and hidden from main foot traffic along Whistler Village. It's small. Petite, even. The website says they've been open since 1997. Wow. It doesn't look like it. It's very well-kept and clean. Kudos.

Crêpe Montagne
116 - 4368 Main St
Whistler, BC V0N 1B4
Telephone: 604.905.4444
Hours: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert - 8am-10.30 pm DAILY

SNAPSHOT:

Food: 9/10

Service: 10/10
Ambiance: 9/10
Pricing: $$$ (be prepared to spend at least $30 per head for food and drinks)

Pros: Relaxed dining; Great service; Clean and comfy dining space
Cons: Pricing is a bit steep typical of Whistler restaurants

Overall Rating: 9/10

Crepes are great. It's like a pocket. You can stuff any food ingredient in there and it will work. After eating at another Whistler restaurant and walking around for over an hour already, it was time to have some light snacks. Rather than fall for the usual ice cream and chocolate shops along the main path, I made sure to look for this place the next time I was at Whistler.

Their crepes will range from under $10 to as high as under $30 depending on whether you are having a simple dessert crepe or a main entree.

I tried their Chocolate crepe ($5.75) under the Sweet Crepe selection. As expected from the price, you are presented a simple crepe - neatly folded triangular crepe topped with chocolate sauce and powdered sugar.

Although the chocolate sauce looked like a dark variety (which I would have preferred), it was more a milk chocolate variety.

Moving on. How about some Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue ($23.00) made from scratch. Melted Emmenthal and Gruyere cheese enhanced with garlic, dry white whine and Kirsch.

Very classy. Served in a copper pot and a wooden spoon.

Interesting enough, the Kirsch is eliminated from their recipe which our server said North Americans find too sharp in flavour with just the wine already. I had the Kirsch added back to the fondue and it actually balanced the whole flavour profile. Before that, the dry white wine stood-out too much.

You are provided a bowl of stale French baguettes which are already cubed. I prefer them even more stale so the bread won't break apart when dipping into the cheese.

My favourite to complement the fondue is a Strawberry smoothie ($7.00). I loved how they make theirs in a non-dairy fashion - with no yogurt, but with a banana to smoothen the drink. However, they will add milk or yogurt at your request. I think it's perfectly smooth and sweet as it is. Best not to mess with it and just slurp your way thru the black straw.

This is a nice, quaint creperie. It's a definite recommendation to try when in Whistler whether for breakfast or as a snack.

[FOODIE: brunch] MARKET by JEAN-GEORGES

2010-04-02T15:35:00.000-07:00

If I can bring myself to wake up and go out for brunch, this would be one of the places I would love heading. Of course, pricing is another factor.

MARKET by Jean-Georges

(1115 Alberni St)

Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver

1128 West Georgia Street

Vancouver, BC V6E 0A8
Telephone: 604.695.1115
Hours: Breakfast - 7-11.30am; Lunch - 11.30am-2.30pm; Dinner - 5.30-10.30pm

SNAPSHOT:

Food: 5/10
Service: 9/10
Ambiance: 10/10
Pricing: $$$ (average $40 per head plus drinks for breakfast/lunch; average $100 per head for dinner)

Pros: Modern interior with a comfortable setting; Relaxed dining; Great service; Respectable serving size for the price
Cons: A few people don't know how to follow and respect the restaurant's business casual dress code and just arrive in a t-shirt

Overall Rating: 6/10

Notes: Reservations highly recommended

MARKET by Jean-Georges and Shangri-La Hotel are a good fit similar to the other restaurants and shops I've been to in other Shanri-La Hotels.

There are two entrances for Market. One is the main entrance on Alberni street. The other is via the hotel entrance along West Georgia street. If you can't take the stairs, they do have an elevator a few steps away which leads to a walkway and onto the glass entrance.

Once inside, there is a hostess and a sofa that separates the waiting patrons from the diners. I would highly recommend obtaining a reservation to avoid any long wait as the place can get pretty full.

There are basically three dining sections. One is along the bar with a darker and more sexy feel. The second is their main dining area that is well-lit. The third is a secluded section that can be reserved for groups looking for private dining.

Here is the sexy bar with it's fuschia lighting theme.

Across the bar are small round tables to accommodate a couples wishing to give each other their attention than collectively facing the bartender.

Back to the main dining area.

Once your table is ready, you're promptly seated and provided their menu which at that time they were serving their lunch 3-course prix fixe.

You have a simple, but elegantly set table with fresh orchids and salt seasoning on one side.

While individual servings of jellies, jam, marmalade, hot sauce and a variety of sugar on the other side.

First order of the day is to wake oneself up with a serving of homemade ginger ale.

The Black Truffle Fontina Cheese Pizza was the highlight of my meal. Good choice for using black truffles which made is more pronounced. The crust was definitely light and crispy.

Another appie that arrived was the "Black Pepper" Crab Fritter. Four delicately fried balls sitting on a bed of thick and sweet black pepper sauce. I could have ended my meal right there and gave the restaurant a perfect 10.

Alas the rest of the course arrived.

The Grilled MARKET Burger which two pieces of sirloin patties, two fried pieces of onion rings, and finished with Russian dressing tasted too ordinary. They could have just easily called it a "Grilled Burger" than stamp their "MARKET" name on it. If you want a signature burger, go head to DB Bistro Moderne instead.

The burgers did look visually tasty and it actually very juicy. It still didn't deserve being the signature burger of any restaurant because it left me thinking, "this is the best you've got?"

We also had the Pacific Sole which was sitting on a bed of sauteed spinach and sweet garlic lemon broth. Again, nothing special taste-wise. While the plating was something you could easily find in any restaurant.

If I'm sounding too critical at this point, you would have to understand that we're talking about one of the restaurants of internationally acclaimed three-star Michelin chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

But then again the three Michelin stars does apply to his New York restaurant, Jean Georges. Still, the menu for Vancouver represent's a pick of the chef's favourite items from his other dining places.

Moving on to dessert. What we have here is Chocolate Pudding with whipped cream, err softly whipped cream, and crystallized Violets. But as I taste the minute amount of crystallized violets, I can't help to wonder if this was necessary as the chocolate itself drowns the delicate violet taste. The pudding and whipped cream alone was wonderful. The violets made it look fancier especially on paper.

Next up was the Green Apple Crisp with a small scoop of Cinnamon ice cream. The only portion I loved with this dessert was the crispy topping of baked dough and sugar. The green apple was too tart that it kept over-powering even the sweet crisps. While I was distracted by the ice particles in the Cinnamon ice cream which I would have forgave if it was a sorbet.

Overall, the main entree and dessert was a bit disappointing. Although it was technically cooked and assembled almost perfectly, the taste was pretty much ordinary. There was no character in the dishes. If I stopped at the appetizers, it would have been a great experience.

I still did enjoy the overall ambiance and service that I would definitely come back and go thru MARKET's selection.

[FOODIE: dim sum] GOLDEN PHOENIX CHINESE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

2010-04-02T13:56:00.000-07:00

I had my dim sum moments of doing the rounds within Metro Vancouver and then went into hiatus. Starting all over again in 2010, it's time to revisit Golden Phoenix Chinese Seafood Restaurant.

Golden Phoenix Chinese Seafood Restaurant

2425 Nanaimo St

Vancouver, BC V5N 5E5
Telephone: 604.253.9717 / 604.253.6183
Hours: Fri-Sat - 9am-1am; Mon-Thurs - TBD

SNAPSHOT:

Food: 7/10
Service: 9/10
Ambiance: 7/10
Pricing: $$ (under $20 per head)

Pros: Comfy hole-in-the-wall size; Great service; Good dim sum pricing
Cons: Come early or be prepared to wait during prime dim sum hours; Will get pretty cramped; Pseudo-dim sum cart service (there really is no space to move around there)

Overall Rating: 7/10

Notes: Accepts VISA/Mastercard/Debit

Parking can get pretty tough to find as there are a handful of restaurants within the block. If people arriving going here to Golden Phoenix, then they're probably heading next door to Bon's Off Broadway. Or if you're lucky, you may be able to find an available spot at the back entrance where they have a private lot. The only problem is the alley road is dilapidated it's practically a moon crater.

Here's the rear parking lot with parked cars on the right side. There is another set similar to this on the left side. You find a big enough room for all the cars to maneuver out of their own space.

The rear entrance which doesn't look inviting to go thru, but will lead you into the hallway and onto the dining area. If you go this route and then is a line, then you'll have to make your way into the main entrance to place yourself on que.

It's always a challenge to experience dim sum dining when you're not with a group. You'd want to order most of the items that come your way and the best always seem to come out last just when you're stuffed.

The first item that came our way was a deep fried breaded shrimp dish with a side of sweet and sour dipping sauce. It was lightly breaded and chewy inside with shrimp and pork portions similar to shumai.

Speaking of shumai, they serve it in four large pieces. Being the most popular and staple dish of dim sum diners, it can get very tired. But their particular variety I enjoyed not necessarily because it was large (okay, maybe because it was large...kidding), but the size accommodated bigger mushroom pieces that gave a very pronounced taste.

Even if you find yourself holding back into ordering something more adventurous, how can you resist not ordering the Har Gow (shrimp dumplings). I like it when the skin is paper thin and not sticky outside that it manages to latch into anything around your plate. These were pretty decent especially for the size and price.

I know, I know...normal dim sum items. I promise, I'm not that boring, but I did mention that it was hard to hold back for more adventurous selections when you're tummy is grumbling and everything that comes out of the kitchen is now tasty.

I like their salt and pepper tofu. Just close your eyes and imagine it's salt and pepper Dungeness crabs. Poof! Back to reality. The tofu is mildly spiced despite the visual alarming presence of chili. There are also garlic bits which is a welcome addition when paired to the crunchy outer tofu texture. Not for the people who are easily sqeamish with a good amount of oil soaked in the food. Tsk, tsk.

Looking for fusion food? Look no further. More shrimps, please. This time deep fried Spring rolls wrapped with shrimps that are wasabi-laced. I did like the dish. It wasn't as oily as the tofu.

No matter what I order, I always find myself going for Cha Siu Bao (BBQ pork filled steamed buns). I was disappointed because it was over-steamed that the buns were too moist and were practically falling apart. Unlike the above dishes so far, this looked like it came from another dim sum place. The filling was sparse versus the amount of dough which is apparent on the photo.

Ah, yes. One of the reasons why I come back here is for their variety of sesame balls. I always choose the black sesame variety which is differentiated from the outside with the abundant black sesame seed coating the sticky rice shaped ball. While inside you'll find the black sesame paste that I find sweet and milky in taste. Definitely a good cap for a dim sum meal.

Pricing for Golden Phoenix as follows - $2.95, $3.25, $3.50, $3.95, $4.25, and $4.95. I've never tried to determine where each dim sum dish falls under. It's not like you wouldn't order a dish that looked visually pleasing anyway. In any case it was interesting trying to guess where they would mark the dish.

Oh and like any dim sum place, there is an automatic $0.60 per person charge for serving tea.

[FOODIE: pan asian] BO LAKSA KING

2010-03-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

Better late than later. I have to admit, I'm so late in the game in trying this place out but I'm so glad I finally took the time to walk inside the only single entrance for the grocery store and past all the snacks I was finally led to the other section which is Bo Laksa King.

Bo Laksa King4910 Joyce St, Vancouver, BC V5R 4G6
Telephone: 604.339.0038
Hours: Sun-Thurs - 10.30am-6pm (lunch), 6pm-12am (dinner); Fri-Sat - 10.30-6pm (lunch), 6pm-2am (dinner)

SNAPSHOT:

Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambiance: N/A
Pricing: Very decent...go now!

Pros: Fresh, home-made cooking; Great service and cheap pricing especially when ordering their combo meals.
Cons: Cash Only; Hole-in-the-wall with two small tables inside a grocery store; Best to order on the go.

Overall Rating: 10/10

Notes: Cash only; Make sure to order combo meals to avail of the discount.

Situated along the Renfrew-Collingwood neighbourhood just one block NE off the Joyce Skytrain station. You'll find what is the most literal husband and wife hole-in-the-wall eatery with the best prices and best Pan Asian cooking in town.

They've definitely come a long way from their original lunch menus below and have gone into expanding to dinner service which starts at 6pm and last February started offering delivery with posted rates on their website.

Here are their humble signs and kitchen...starting with the left window....

The right window...

And the centre countertop...

Behind the counter is where they prepare your order. Home cooking at it's best. These are the Roti Canai ($5.99 for two large pieces) that were hand kneaded right on the spot to ensure freshness and flakiness.

Over here is the Asian Beef Wrap ($4.50)...

And here's how it looks neatly presented. The wrap itself was warmed, while the inside is eaten cold like fresh spring rolls which is full of vegetables with beef glazed with honey. It was on the sweet side, which I really liked and one which I felt perfectly complemented the spicy dishes that you can pair with.

By the way, if you order their soup and wrap combo then they give you a $2.00 discount. Or if you order any two wraps then you get a $1.50 discount. You can't get any better than these combo-value meal.

And here's how the Roti Canai order is presented. You have two big pieces and a side chicken curry dipping sauce.

I appreciated the flakiness of the roti. You can't get any fresher than this. The next time I come back, I would request them to cut the roti into small pieces so they are ready for dunking.

Oh, and by the way you can also order the roti in a sweet version. They pour condensed milk on it before rolling it up.

The dipping sauce looked quite a lot, but those roti did a good amount of absorption which enabled me to almost gulp it all down. Be warned though that the sauce is on the salty side so wolf it down on the cautious side.

Of course, you can't really come over to Bo Laksa King for the first time without ordering the Laksa. It was tasty. Lots of spices. It was also spicy hot, but at a manageable level. You have your dry ingredients in one bowl and the curry sauce in another. You pour the curry sauce onto the dry ingredients and presto...you have two bowls ready for splitting.

If you're brave enough and you're burning tongue can still take it, feel free to gulp down the curry sauce.

With the overall experience of customer service, food quality and taste, and pricing. You can't get any better than this. Definitely foodietastic!

[EVENT: social] Yelp Vancouver's Living La Voya Local

2010-03-21T11:41:00.000-07:00

I've been participating with Yelp Vancouver's foodie scene since it's first ever Vancouver event from June 2009. Seven events later specifically targeted to the active members of Yelp, they finally threw their first ever open party for Yelp Vancouver locals.

This was held on On March 10, 2010 and took place over at the Voya Restaurant and Lounge. Voya is the signature restaurant of the Loden Hotel.

Although it's an open party, you're still going to have to be on their guest list. Just try and get past one of their Community Managers. Go ahead. Try. They can only get friendlier. :P

I knew most of the active people in Yelp, but this was definitely even more fun to get to meet an even lager community of foodies.

They had music spinning courtesy of DJ Leanne.

Here's her pink calling card. Awww.

She took some time to teach any interested participant to mix a beat.

With the music in place, like any Yelp event, food and drinks were definitely overflowing. This was provided by both the restaurant hosting the venue as well as the local businesses.

As the night progressed, the bartenders were hard at work to keep the drinks flowing courtesy of Hennessy.

But don't fret if the bar was packed, the local merchants were also on hand to give a helping hand. The Urban Tea Merchant was there to provide Vodka shots infused with two of their tea concoctions.

One was Earl Grey and the other a tisane infusion of dried fruits.

But why stop there when Whistler Brewing Company is there to represent.

Tipsy much? I didn't think so.

But now it's time to fill our bellies with food and snacks. Raise your hand if you want some mini burgers!

Or how about some Mexican fusion presented a la Temaki-style.

Voya definitely had some great servers going around to make sure we were properly provided for.

In the other end of the lounge was a table of gourmet snacks provided by Saul Good Gift Co. They do have an on-going promo of providing a $10 discount off their corporate gift basket just for making them laugh. It's not that hard. Just call them up and repeat their website name - it's all good...tsk, tsk.

These are one of the best tasting chocolates I've had and reminded me of a few San Francisco chocolatier like Guittard Chocolate Company and Scharffen Berger. And since I'm now living in Canada, it's time to promote Zazubean. Being Canadian, it can only contain the finest naturally organic, fair-trade ingredients.

And what better way to pair your beer than with Skeet & Ike's Organics Popcorn variety as well as their stone ground corn chips in the form of Hippie Chips.

But do save some space for some crackers and chips courtesy of Gone Crackers and Terra Breads. All natural. All found right here in British Columbia.

Props to Wink Beauty Lounge for providing some fun dress-up for the gents (moustache) and ladies (lashes).

Thanks to some buzz and a moustache, we can now take over the turn-table and pose as credible DJs.

Okay, I guess it's best if we handed it back to DJ Leanne to do her stuff...

Lastly, if you forgot to bring your camera to help you remember the event, Photobooth Vancouver was there to provide an instant memory (I swear that wasn't me...that guy had a moustache).

So...if you're curious to know more about Yelp or you'd love to meet fellow Vancouver foodies in the next official or unofficial get-together. Head on over to Yelp Vancouver.

[FOODIE: ramen] Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

2010-03-20T23:34:00.000-07:00

Ah, ramen in it's most basic form has two ingredients - noodles and broth. Complexity in ingredients, taste and presentation gives each their own unique twist.

The famous Japanese ramen place - Hokkaido Ramen Santouka - finally comes to Vancouver, BC. Situated along Robson street among other nearby ramen places and izakaya establishments, it fits right in to join the crawl. Well, that is if you're patient enough to brave the line during prime hours which gets pretty much crazy. With a lot of buzz being generated in the foodie scene, it's best to go off-hours if only to try what Santouka has to offer. We went on a Friday around 5.30pm and we were seated just fine. However, by 6pm the place was packed and the line started to build. When I passed by before around 7pm, you wouldn't believe how patient people can be to line up like that.

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
1690 Robson St, Vancouver, BC V6G 1C7
Telephone: 604.681.8121
Website: http://www.santouka.co.jp

SNAPSHOT:

Food: 6/10
Service: 6/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Pricing: Moderate (when compared to other Ramen places in the area)

Pros: Nice, modern interior.
Cons: Cash Only; More expensive than comparable ramen places in the area; Smaller servings for the price; Rough operation typical of newly opened restaurants

Overall Rating: 6/10

Notes: Cash only; No reservations so best to come off hours for now

The restaurant size can be a tight squeeze once the tables are fully occupied. By the entrance you'll find a communal oblong table perfect for larger groups, families with children on strollers or requiring a high chair. Past that is a tighter area for smaller groups on one side. While on the opposite side is a bar-like seating arrangement on stools facing the open kitchen.

The menu is presented in synthetic leather cover. There is a good amount of description with photos. And if that isn't convincing enough, right outside their window are displays of all the dishes they serve complete with pricing, too.

Each table has their own condiments and utensils - pepper, hot chili powder, chopsticks, soup spoons, toothpicks and paper napkins. It's important to note that they don't provide any salty condiments like, err, table salt or soy sauce. Checking their website, you'd understand they care about the taste of their broth which one will just have to accept and respect.

I tried two ramen dishes. The first is their "Limited quantity. First Come. First Serve." Toroniku Ramen ($12.95). You have four choices of ramen - Shio (basic salt broth), Shoyu (soy sauce broth), Miso (fermented soy bean paste), and Kara Miso (spicy version). This is coupled with a side dish of their special toroniku meat (simmered pork cheek) which you have a choice on munching by itself or as a topping on the ramen.

Here is the Shio ramen which is the most basic among the four. Known for a clear, light broth. With Santouka's version, I did find a hint of a milky flavour.

The light yellow ramen noodles were chewy and not mushy. However it was clumped together and restrained in quantity.

The simmered pork cheeks were tender, delicious and on the salty side. I enjoyed munching it on it's own in between sips of the broth. If you find it too salty, then it would be best to dilute the taste by dunking a few pieces at a time right on the soup.

We also tried their combination dish ($13.40) which was their regular sized ramen and a small bowl of donburi. For the ramen, I got the Miso variety which unlike the limited quantity ramen had all the ingredients and toppings served directly in the soup. There were three slices of chashu (simmered pork shoulder) which were soft, but personally does not come close to the pork cheek. However, if you don't like a strong taste then this is the route to go.

I chose the Ikura donburi which were large Salmon roe (caviar) toppings on simple Japanese rice and slices of omelette. It's not much in terms of quantity and taste, but it does break the redundant taste of the ramen.

Oh, and the combination meal came with another side dish of pickled hard-boiled egg and pickled cabbage. Again, a nice touch for the palate.

I honestly had higher expectations from Hokkaido Ramen Santouka. The nightly line up built the hype. The window displays whet my appetite. When it came time for me to try it out, I was yearning for a better experience than the other ramen places in the area. Why not? Santouka was commanding a higher price for smaller portions and lesser ingredients. If they were doing such, then I can only expect the same.

In the end, I can only compare Santouka from Kintaro with gigantic bowls, richer broth, and tons of ingredients included where I would have to pay to add with Santouka. Oh and unlike Santouka's pricing, they give more bang for your buck. Of course, Kintaro is aging like a true hole-in-the-wall that it is. Santouka is the new face of ramen restaurants with a price to boot. Pick your weapon.

[FOODIE: first impressions] Tri-Ty Cafe

2010-03-14T19:54:00.000-07:00

I've been posting my foodie reviews over at Yelp since I moved to Vancouver back in 2008. I wanted to compare the places I was discovering to the other places I've been to in other cities. I'm not done contributing over at Yelp, but I think it's time to create a more personalised blog in a space I can call my own.

Interestingly, after having been addicted with bubble tea drinks since the 90's in the Philippines. My addiction carried over when I moved to Los Angeles which I then regarded as my little piece of Heaven for bubble teas and shaved ice (Lollicup, anyone?). Of course, I haven't been to Taiwan and I can only assume it's the mecca. Or shall I say, the mother of all pearls.

Within my first few days living in Vancouver, I had to crave for these drinks. Not knowing my way around at that time a good friend of mine suggested Tri-Ty Cafe. It was a bright, cute and busy place. Since we were heading to another friend's place for lunch, I brushed it aside then and just took one to go.

Almost two years later and considering myself more a local than a stranger, I'm back.

Tri-Ty Cafe.
130 - 810 Ackroyd Road, Richmond, BC V6X 3K2
Telephone: 604.231.8997
Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs & Sun - 11:30-23:30; Fri & Sat - 11:30-00:30

SNAPSHOT:

Food: (Drinks and Desserts: 8/10, Main: 6/10)
Service: 8/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Pricing: Moderate

Pros: Nice interior for a cafe; generous serving
Cons: Cash Only; More expensive than comparable Hong Kong-style cafe in exchange for a better ambiance

Overall Rating: 8/10

Notes: Cash only; Minimum charge of $3.95 per person.

Located in one of the many strip malls that you will find in Richmond, BC. This one is off No. 3 Road and within the Golden Village commercial district.

The name of the cafe comes from their mission - quality, quantity and tasty. Hence, Tri-Ty.

First order of business - Shaved Ice!

It's mid-March, but who wouldn't crave for Taiwanese shaved ice? For $6.50, you get to choose five toppings on a bowl of shaved ice. Their menu selection includes - pearl (boba, bubbles), sweet bean, grass jelly, red bean, Taro rice ball, Coconut jelly, condensed milk, pudding, lemon jelly, sticky rice ball, green bean, peanut, Taro, chocolate, Strawberry sauce, Blueberry sauce, and Passion fruit sauce. $0.50 more for extra ingredients above five.

My initial thoughts. (1) There's quite a lot to choose from and narrow down to five items. (2) How can condensed milk be included as part of the choices? In LA I was used to ordering shaved ice with condensed milk as part of the package regardless of chosen toppings. (3) It seemed quite pricey than the hole-in-wall bubble tea places that also serves shaved ice.

When the order arrived, as you can see the toppings are quite generous. The bowl is big and wide enough to accommodate a good amount of servings fit for two.

Every ingredient has the right amount of sweetness. The pearls were perfectly chewy. They do use canned ingredients like the taro and red bean. They were a little bit mushy, but there was no discerning after-taste when going this route. The condensed milk was generously topped the last and fell on all parts that the bowl encompassed.

The best part was the palm sugar which they generously topped on the shaved ice prior to putting the toppings. You could see the ice was tinted brown and it was a delight that brought me back to thinking about Malaysian cendol drinks.

Now back up a bit to the main entree. I ordered the "House Special Beef Noodle with Soup". You have three choices - original, tomato, or spicy. I chose the "original" as a starter. The broth had a good amount of sweetness to it which I enjoyed, but may turn other people off. If this is the case, I suggest ordering the spicy variety to re-direct your tastebuds.

The beef portions had a small amount of fat which I always welcome in these types of dishes as it gives more flavour in the soup stock. It could have been more tender, but honestly for a cafe I was surprised it was even this tender. The noodles were perfectly thick and chewy. And what would a soup dish be without bok choy (Chinese cabbage).

You can see the generous amounts of beef and bok choy in the soup. The noodles were burried underneath.

Oh, and by the way this dish comes with a side dish of pickled veggies and pudding to cap it off into one well-rounded dish.

Initial impressions, I think they lived up to their name in honouring the three "tys" for the price, of course.

I wouldn't hesitate recommending this place for some desserts and drinks when in the area.

I wouldn't call it foodietastic, but it's definitely getting there.